Breastfeeding Basics Mean Better Nutrition: The Important Role of Nutrition Counseling in Ghana

The Strengthening Partnerships, Results, and Innovations in Nutrition Globally (SPRING) project is working in Ghana to improve infant and young child nutrition, partly by strengthening breastfeeding practices. Funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), SPRING/Ghana's scaling up of the UNICEF infant and young child feeding (IYCF) training package in 15 districts in northern Ghana encourages early initiation of breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, and continued breastfeeding for the first two years. Exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months is instrumental for an infant's optimal physical and mental development. In a practical one-on-one session, nutrition counseling introduces mothers and caregivers to the benefits of optimal feeding practices. Health workers, such as Mr. John Kuunang and Miss Rufina Bantaabu, conduct targeted counseling sessions with mothers like Madam Kusumi Gipi. They ask questions to identify potential issues, such as poor positioning and attachment of the baby, which can cause weak suckling. Using counseling cards and techniques created by the Ghana Health Services with support from UNICEF, the health workers demonstrate to Madam Gipi the appropriate positioning and attachment practices. When she tries them, she notices that her baby suckles much more vigorously than before. The health workers assure her that frequent feeding sessions and proper attachment by the baby help stimulate milk production and enough food for optimal growth. At the end of the counseling session, Madam Gipi is quite satisfied. SPRING/Ghana builds health worker capacity in high-quality nutrition counseling across the project's operational districts in northern Ghana. Health workers then empower mothers like Madam Gipi by teaching them how to properly feed their children, promoting healthy growth and development. Improving IYCF counseling among health workers, community volunteers, groups, and caregivers is a primary objective for SPRING/Ghana in its efforts to reduce the prevalence of stunting in the Northern and Upper East Regions of Ghana. The project has rolled out the IYCF training package to 1,105 health staff and 1,114 community volunteers and community groups across 15 districts in the Northern and Upper East Regions. SPRING/Ghana has also trained and formed 110 Mother-to-Mother Support Groups (MTMSG) that include 1,650 individuals across 15 districts. These groups provide a peer education platform for mothers and caregivers to learn about better nutrition practices. Nutrition counseling is one part of SPRING/Ghana's "1,000-Day Household Approach," a holistic program focused on households with pregnant women and children under two years of age that combines elements of nutrition, hygiene, and agricultural practices aimed at improving health outcomes in 1,000-day households.